May the Force (Friday) be With You…

This is perhaps something you could call some sort of ‘back to basics blogging’ business. With added lightsabers…

A throwback to the ‘OG’ days: slightly blurred photos taken while slightly tipsy (read: quite drunk) and tales that are purely ‘I did a super awesome thing and want to tell you ALL about it’. I hope you don’t mind…and if you do…well, I’m gonna do it anyway. Sorry not sorry.

Basically, last week I did a super awesome thing, and want to tell you ALL about it.

I’m definitely not as ‘hardcore’ into Star Wars as some people I know. And especially some of the people I met last week. But I do really like the movies, and have a pair of Stormtrooper Vans, at least. Also, I happen to live with a big fan of the Force… so when the opportunity struck for us to attend a pretty special midnight event, I was actually pretty damn excited.

To celebrate ‘Force Friday’ when the clock struck midnight between August 31st and September 1st, John Lewis had a bit of a special Star Wars do. And guess who was invited? (Me. And Conor, with AJ and Charlie and their boys, and Kariss too!)

Going into John Lewis at night was definitely a surreal experience. We darted between staff moving cages as we made our way up to the top floor, which had been turned into a replica of the Mos Eisley cantina (I had to look that up…).

Once we were allowed in, we mingled with some of the best known characters – including a FABULOUS Chewbacca and a pretty terrifying Vader. And, obviously, my new Stormtrooper pal. We (the group, not just me and Stormy) sipped on sweet, sticky booze in green bottles, and took LOTS of pictures with…well, pretty much anyone in costume we could find.

All the fans who had come along for the night that we spoke to were such lovely people too, and even though I probably couldn’t hold down much of a Star Wars conversation, I loved chatting to them all about the effort that they put into their passion. Seriously, fandoms are just my fave.

Welcoming attendees in were a choir of droids. Actual size, home-made droids that moved and made noise. We had a chat to the guys responsible, and they aren’t professional prop-makers, but people who do this in their spare time, after work and at weekend, from their garages and sheds. Which I think is pretty awesome.

The main reason everyone was there, other than perhaps the bar, was to check out the new Star Wars toys and tech range at John Lewis. Honestly, I’ve never really been big on collecting merchandise, but some of the stuff they had was INSANELY cool. Remote controlled droids and actual flying ships.

There was even a Star Wars themed RAZOR, which would make the most awesome present for a guy who likes Star Wars and eradicates facial hair regularly. And I just so happen to have one of those. INTERESTING.

I had SUCH a good night (even if I did have to leave before 1pm because I’m old and needed my bed…), and it was fascinating to check out all the new products and wonderful to chat to people who just really, REALLY love Star Wars. Genuinely lovely, friendly people who’ve built a community around their passion, who’ve made friends and had their lives changed for the better by these characters and stories. Which is something as a long-term music and internet nerd, I can kinda relate to. Sure, the event was put on to showcase the products, but I actually got so much more from it than simply the fact I really need a remote control droid in my life.

It sometimes feels like there’s an attitude out there that it’s not ‘cool’ to really like things. But enthusiasm’s ridiculously infectious, and I sure picked up a lot of it on Force Friday.